Daily Double: Markin MarkSample

The Inner Life vs. The Outer Life

By Issy V

Jesus' ministry is growing at super speed now. Jesus started with a small following, but it has been quickly picking up. And with success comes opposition, where He now has people who outright oppose him. The Pharisees – a group of Jewish leaders with an obsession with the law of God - are trying to catch Jesus breaking the law. Unlike them, Jesus is perfect because He is a walking example of the Law of God.

From the start of this chapter, Jesus shows them their hypocrisy. He explains that they choose certain commands from God but then create their own human traditions that hold a higher place in their life.

The key part to notice is verses 14-22. Jesus cares about what comes out of a person, not what goes into a person (what we eat or drink). Jesus wants the condition of our hearts not to be defiled (impure). We’re learning the Pharisees have it all backward.

Next, Jesus does two miracles! He casts out an impure spirit and heals someone who is both deaf and mute. The people presented Jesus with individuals who needed healing. He had compassion towards them and did so, but He did not yet want people to know who he was. His time had still not come to reveal His true nature to the people.

We have been presented with a clear and direct message from Jesus. He cares about our hearts. It needs to be a priority for Christians to live striving for purity. After all, Jesus’ mission on earth was to defeat sin in our lives and connect us with God.

The miracles He performed showed Jesus’ heart of compassion towards us, but ultimately, through every miracle, His goal was that we could live free from sin and live for Him.

How can you chase purity today? (hint: look at verses 20-22)